Fire-escape



v 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. E. DBLIA;

FIRE ESCAPE.

Patented Mar. 26, 1889.

11 Il' o l INVENTOR (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E. DELIA'.

,FIRE ESCAPE-- Patented Mar. 26, v1889;

W ITNEssEs INVENTOR I N. PEIERS. Phnto-Lflhoghphar. Walhingion, ac

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

DELIAJ FIRE ESCAPE.

No. 400,314. Patented Mar. 26, 1889.

mm mm m MM mm W H M m M mm M I I I H N l u n u u u n \J ITNESSES N. PETERS. Pholo-fiwagrwher. Washington. D.'c.

(No Model.)

WI NESSES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4. B. DBLIA. I

- FIRE ESCAPE.

Patented Mar. 26, 1889. r

Imvz-zm rona I afl iorney.

N. PETERS. PhnltrLilhugnpher. Wnlling'n", 11C.

UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE DELIA, OF

CINCINNATI, OHIO.

Fl RE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,314, dated March 26, 1889.

Application filed September 3, 1888.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE DELIA, of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fire-Escapes, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view of my portable fireescape. Fig. 2 is a view of therigid column around which the vertical posts are ranged; Fig. 3, a sectional view of the column and the bars, taken on line 3 3, Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a perspective view of the spring for turning the bars around the column, and the base and keepers for the bars; Fig. 5, a top View of the truck and elevating device in position preparatory to elevating the bars; Fig. 6, an end view of the truck, showing column in position; Fig. 7, a perspective view of the keeper on the column and lower end of one of the bars; Fig. 8, a perspective view of the upper end of one of the bars; Fig. 9, a side View of the two bars in position to be attached to each other; Fig. 10, a side view showing the holding-slide in position against the spring preparatory to moving the slide over the joint; Fig. 11, a side view showing the holding-slide located over the joined ends of the bars; Fig. 12, a sectional View through line X of Fig. 11; Fig. 13, a sectional View through line 3 of Fig. 11, and Fig. 14 a sectional View through line Z of Fig. 10.

The object of my invention is to provide an efficient fire-escapeor mechanism whereby a ladder may be quickly attached to the side of a burning building; and it consists of a rigid Vertical column mounted on a suitable truck, around which column is a series of bars held in suitable vertical guides. These bars are mounted on a carriage which moves around the column. The first bar has at its upper end a right-angled arm provided with hooks to hold the ladder, and the lower end of this bar is provided with an angled tenon which fits an angled groove in the upper end of the next bar. The lower end of this next bar has an angled tenon and the upper end of the next bar an angled groove, and so on. The outer side of each bar has a toothed face, which is in mesh with a series of wheels operated by a crank, so that when the crank is turned the bars will travel upward, one at a time, until the lower end of each bar is raised Serial No- 284,485. (No model.)

high enough to permit the upper end of each succeeding bar to grasp the lower end of the preceding bar and fasten itself thereto. Thus a series of barsare superimposed, one on top of the other, until a sufficient height is gained, when the upper end of the ladder, which .is preferably of rope or wire, is disengaged from the hook on the end of the bar and secured to the window or building.

The invention also provides for a peculiar formation of the carrying-truck, as will be now set forth in detail.

The truck A may be made of any suitable size or height. On this truck is placed a plat form, B, which is hinged to the truck at a point near one end and at one side, as shown at O in Fig. 5. On this platform is mounted the vertical column, which will hereinafter be referred to. The free or swinging end of the platform has hinged to it the upper bifurcated ends of a stem, D. This stem has an adjustable leg, E, as shown. As represented in Fig. 6, this leg may be turned down under the platform B, and adjusted to suit the height of the platform, or it may be turned up, as shown in Fig. 1, when the platform is in position on the truck. The object of this is as follows: The column is mounted on the free or swinging end of the platform. When, therefore, the truck is drawn alongside of the sidewalk, the platform B is swung around toward the building, as shown in Fig. 5, thus bringing the column near the building. The adjustable leg is then placed in position and the platform elevated so as to adjust the column as nearly vertical as possible prepara tory to elevating the bars which surround the column, which will now be set forth.

The column F is composed of a wooden or metallic drum of any suitable height, secured rigidly to the swinging platform B. At one side of the column is a pair of posts, G, also rigidly secured to the platform a short distance from the column. The upper ends of the posts G and column F are united by means of an arm, H. Near the upper end of the column, and directly behind the posts G, is a projection, I, through which is a vertical aperture square in cross-section. Said arm I is shown as attached to a sleeve, vi, encircling the column F.

in. The front side of this keeper Ihasa slot- This is a keeper or guideway for the vertical bars, which are elevated then-e4 ted opening, I, as shown. The posts near their upper ends, and directly in front of the keeper 1, are provided with a train of gearwheels, J. A crank, K, attached to one of the shafts in the train, is designed to operate the gear-wheels. The last gear-wheel 011 the other shaft has its periphery projecting into the slot 1 of the keeper I on the column, for purposes hereinafter explained.

L represents a circular basehaving several casters, L, underneath. This base has a central opening, through which the column F passes. It also has a peripheral flange, M, as shown. This base rests on the platform around the column F. Two standards, N O, are oppositely secured to this base within the flange M, one of these standards, 0, being double the length of the other. At the upper end of the standard N, and midway on the other standard, 0, is secured a ring, P, on the periphery of which is a series of keepers, P. These have vertical holes through them, square in cross section, and of the same size as the hole in the keeper or guide I on the upper end of the column F. The upper end of the long standard 0 has attached thereto one end of a coiled spring, Q, the opposite side of which is secured to the column F. The column thus constructed is ready for the bars R, which are placed in the keepers P, the lower ends resting 011 the circular base L. The bars are all of similar construction, except the first one, which has its upper end provided with a rightangled arm, R, that projects over the column. The upper ends of all the other bars are cut off at an angle to fit the lower ends of the bars as they approach each other in succession, as will now be shown.

Fig. 8 shows the upper end of one of the bars B. This is provided on one side with a toothed rack, S. The upper end is cut off at an angle, and the two sides are cut oif to form a tongue, T. A groove, T, is formed in theend of this groove, and a prong or hook, T, secured therein at the toe of the tenon or tongue, the lower end of which prongispointed. On each side of the tenon, near the shoulders and atthe sides forming the acute angles of the tenon, are detent-notches U, formed in the same general angle as the shoulders of the tenon.

The lower end of each bar, as shown in Fig. 7, is cut off at the same angle as the upper end of the bar, (shown in Fig. 8,) and a gain or groove, V, is formed in the end in line with the angle, so that the tenon T will fit therein. At the upper end of the groove or gain is an eye, V, so located that the prong or hook T in the grooved tongue T will fit therein. Diagon ally across from this eye at the acute-pointed sides of the bar, 011 the inner sides, are lugs \V, which are so located that they enter the detents U of the tenon T when the two ends are placed together. The bar shown in Fig.

7 has also on its front side the toothed bar S. One side of each of the bars R is gained or somewhat narrowed, as shown at XV, at the der, (1.

ends, and in this gained part is-placed a metal plate, X. This plate is somewhat narrower than the thickness of the bar. At each edge of the plate X the projecting edges thereof, which extend over the gain \V, form a groove, as shown at Y. Y is a metal plate, having its two longitudinal edges bent, so as to clasp around the edges of the plate X. This plate Y slides loosely up and down on the metal plate X, and as the latter plate is on adjoining ends of the bars B it is obvious that when the two ends of the bars are placed together and the plates X are in line with each other the sliding plate Y can be slipped down, so as to cover the joint, and thus firmly unite the two parts.

In order to provide means for causing this plate Y to move into and out of position as the bars are raised or lowered, it will be seen in Fig. 7 that the guideway I, which is permanently located on the column, has on the side on which the sliding plate Y is located an opening, a, and a spring, 11, secured to the outside of this guideway, has the heel of its free end placed in this opening, so that it rests againstthe bar R. Thus in Fig. 10 the bar R is represented as moving upwardly through the guideway I. The heel of the spring is shown. as having come in contact with the upper end of the slide Y. As the bar travels upwardly, the slide remains stat-ionary until the lower end of the slide Y strikes the shoulder of the lower bar, R, as shown in Fig. 11. The slide thereupon forces its way pastthe heel of the spring I). As the bar is lowered, the lower end of the slide Y strikes the heel of the spring I), and as the bar descends the slide finally left in the position shown in Fig. 7. Before entering into a description of the operation of the device it should be observed that the forward end of the platform B is provided with areel, c, on which is wound the lower end of a lad- The upper end of this ladder has a large hook, e, and a cross-bar,f,by means of which bar it may be secured to the arm R.

The ladder consists of two sections. The side rails of the upper section, which extend from the hook a down to the reel, should be made of iron rods or bars united by rounds of any suitable non combustible material. The lower section may be made of chain-work, so that it may be readily wound upon the reel. As the reel 0 is directly below the end of the arm R, the ladder when attached to the arm will be in a vertical position. It will now be supposed that the keepers P, Fig. 4, are filled with the vertical bars and the keepers P and bars L, turned so as to make the spring Q taut. The crank K is then set in motion, and the pinion J being in contactwith the teeth on the bar R, the latter. is forced upwardly. The tension of the spring Q causes the base and keepers which carry the bars R to turn, so that when one bar is drawn up to the position shown in Fig. 9 the spring Q causes the next bar to crowd up against it, thus bringing the angled edges together, as shown. As the upper bar is moved still farther, the tongue T of the lower bar enters the recessV of the upper bar, the prong T entering the eye V and the lugs WV passing into the detents U. As the upward motion continues, the slide is pushed down over the joint between the bars, as heretofore shown, and this bar passes on upward, to be succeeded by the next one below, and so on until the proper height is attained. A collar, f, on the column F, above the keeper-ring P, serves as a guide for the upper end of the bars as the latter turn about said column. When it is desired to lower the bars, the downward motion of one bar above pressing on the bar below forces the lower bar to one side (if the slide Y is elevated) through the medium of the angular ends of the bars.

lVhat I claim as new is- A fire-escape comprising a plurality of separate bars adapted for connection end to end, a revolving frame turning about a vertical axis and sustaining the same side by side in a vertical position, and a stationary guide for the bars, substantially as described.

2. A fire-escape comprising a plurality of separate bars adapted for connection end to end, a revolving frame turning about a vertical axis and sustaining the bars side by side in a vertical position, a stationary guide for the bars, and a flexible ladder attached to the upper end of the uppermost bar, substantially as described.

A fire-escape comprising a plurality of separate bars adapted for connection end to end, a revolving frame turning about a vertical axis and sustaining the bars side by side in a vertical position, a stationary guide for the bars, a flexible ladder attached to the upper end of the uppermost bar, and a hook on the upper end of said ladder for supporting the same, substantially as described.

4. A fire-escape comprising a plurality of toothed bars adapted for connection end to end, a revolving frame turning about a vertical axis and sustaining the said bars side by side in a vertical position, a stationary guide for the bars, and a gear-wheel engaging said bars, substantially as described.

5. A fire-escape comprising a plurality of bars adapted for connection end to end, a revolving frame sustaining the bars, a stationary guide for the bars, and a spring applied to said frame for turning the same, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with a stationary c01 umn, of a plurality of bars adapted for connection end to end, a revolving table surrounding the base of the column, a revolving keeperring, also surrounding the column, vertical standards rigidly connected to said table and keeper-ring, and a stationary guide for the bars located above the keeper-rin g, substantially as described.

7. The combination, with a stationary column, of a plurality of bars adapted for connection end to end, arevolving frame consisting of a table surrounding the base of the column, a revolving keeper-ring, also surrounding the column, and vertical standards rigidly connecting said table and keeper-ring, a stationary guide for the bars, and a coiled spring connected with. the column and revolving frame for turning the latter, substantially as described.

8. A fire-escape comprising a plurality of bars, a revolving frame sustaining the same, and a stationary guide for the bars, said bars being provided upon their ends with interlocking mortises and tenons arranged at right angles to radial lines of the frame, whereby the bars may be connected with each other by the turning of the frame, substantially as described.

9. A fire-escape comprising a plurality of bars, a revolving frame sustaining the same, and a stationary guide for the bars, said bars being provided on their ends with interlocking mortises and tenons adapted to engage each other by a lateral movement of the bars, and slides on the bars for holding the same from disconnection, substantially as described.

10. The combination, with a revolving frame and stationary guide, of a plurality of bars provided with interlocking mortises and tenons, the shoulders of which are oblique, the ends of each tongue being provided with a groove containing a prong, and the sides of the tongues having det-cnt-notches, and each mortise having an eye to fit over the prong, and lugs to engage the detentnotches, substantially as described.

11. The combination, with a revolving barsupporting frame and a stationary guide, of a plurality of bars provided with interlocking mortises and tenons and having guide-flanges adjacent to their ends, and slides engaged with said flanges for holding the bars from disconnection, substantially as described.

12. The combination, with a revolving barsupporting frame and a stationary guide, of a plurality of bars provided with interlocking mortises and tenons and having guidefianges adjacent to their ends, and slides engaged with said flanges, said stationary guide being provided with a spring-arm adapted to engage and move the slide, substantially as described.

13. The combination, with a fire-escape truck and an extensible column, of a platform supporting said column, said platform being pivoted by means of a vertical pivot to the truck, and an adjustable supporting-leg hinged to the outer or free end of said platform, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand, this 21st day of March, 1888, in the presence of two witnesses.

. EUGENE DELIA,

Witnesses:

R. S. MILLAR, ROBERT RAMSEY. 

